About

Our ShopEstablished in early 2011, Upcycled is committed to the creative reuse of refuse and we are proud to reside in Missoula, Montana, a community that has long shared an appreciation of the arts and crafts and a dedication to sustainable causes. All products in the Upcycled store use over 50% repurposed materials; most products are made with 95% or greater repurposed materials. Even our business cards, in-store tags and checkout bags are upcycled.

While we are committed to upcycling as a way-of-life, we are equally committed to local artists and crafters. Therefore, almost everything in the store is produced locally by Montanans. Moreover, we are artist/crafter-friendly and always on the lookout for more upcycling talent. We are very approachable and open to new artists’ creations. If you have an upcycled product or an idea for an upcycled product, stop by or drop us a line. No appointment necessary. We want to help upcycling artists sell their products, grow their brands, self-promote, and introduce themselves to new retailers.

Lastly, Upcycled is committed to Missoula. Our interactive events and contests bring people into our store and out into the community. We love scavenger and treasure hunts; and community members love finding the upcycled goodies we hide around town. We host fun First Fridays. We donate to numerous local non-profits and champion the upcycling ethic in local schools and at community events.

Why we upcycleAccording to the Environmental Protection Agency, every year the United States produces around 250 million tons of waste. That's almost a ton of waste per person. Waste, as in wasted resources and wasted potential, not useless byproduct. The truth is, the vast majority of what goes into our landfills, is readily reusable either as is or as upcycled or down cycled material.

Moreover, reusing materials means less extraction, less minerals being mined, fewer habitats being plundered. What if everyone just drank from a mason jar instead of a plastic or paper cup? What if all our old clothes went into making our new ones? What if a wedding ring made from an old skateboard was a higher status symbol than a diamond band?

This world isn't a dream. It's just around the corner. It may seem daunting, but our capacity to drive change is enormous and right in front of us. It's in our waste baskets and in the choices we make when we consume. If we can keep something out of the landfill while keep our planet just a bit more intact, why wouldn't we?

Our MissionOur mission is to promote upcycling broadly, by sharing information, connecting people with ideas, hosting conversations and fostering an environment of shared learning. We envision a future where upcycling is mainstream, where thousands of small businesses use post-consumer and post-industrial waste intelligently to create the products we buy, and where individuals use any waste they produce to upcycle at home. Ultimately, we strive to attain the seemingly unattainable, a zero waste world.

Thank you for supporting, Upcycled, our artists and most importantly upcycling as a way-of-life.